Convertible automobile



Feb. 7, 1928 1,658,110

- C. J. WARREN CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE A Filed May 15 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ety. Z. Fay, J

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Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,110

7 C. J. WARREN CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE Filed May 15 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fflmeniar MZ'JQ M Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

CLINTON J. "WARREN, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONVERTIBLE AUTOMOBILE.

Application filed May 15,

This invention relates to convertible automobiles adapted to be used both for touring and for camping. Various efforts to accomplish this general purpose have been made, but cars hitherto proposed, in which'appliances for travel and also for camping are combined, have been so characteristically ungainly in appearance or complicated in structure, bearing resemblance to a prairie schooner, a commercial truck, or an ambulance, that in order to preserve the pleasure, comfort and speed of general riding it has been thought necessary to provide and. to tow a separate vehicle as a trailer, for carrying the camping appliances, this trailer being convertible by various devices so as to extend laterally on the ground and afford beds and shelter when a. stop is made. In con sequence, there has been for years a marked demand for an automobile which has the convenience of a regular limousine bony when on the road, with its characteristic appearance and grace of design, not indicating by its apearance that it is anything else, and yet which is readily adaptable for use for sleeping and eating. V

The object of the present invention is to produce an automobile car body capable of affording the comforts of bedroom, dressing- 7 room, dining room and kitchen, and, if desired, of travelling over the read while these facilities or some of them are in use, while reta ning such characteristics of size and form as permit the vehicle to have the eX- ternal appearance and the internal comforts also of a car with limousine body and seats for touring, the whole being wcathertight; self-contained, in the sense of having all of the necessary conveniences always within itself; comfortable for use either for touring or camping; and yet easily convertible from a setting for one use to that for another. This object is attained by providing the construction and disposition of conveniences and necessary parts, made possible by the invention, and herein disclosed, so that the car cxteriorly may have the graceful lines and design of high quality closed cars such as hitherto have been available only for drivmg.

lt is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty the invention may possess.

in the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

1920. Serial No. 381,666;

Figure l is aside elevation;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is an elevation showing themterior as arranged for touring with the body in section on the line 83 of Figure l, looking toward the rear;

Figure ft is an elevation showing the in terior arranged the same, in section'on the line 4-4: of F igure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is an edge view of a folding table, folded, seen in side elevation corresponding to Figure l, enlarged;

Figure 6 is an elevation showing the interior arranged for sleeping, with the body in section on line 66 of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is anelevation showing the in terior arranged for dining with the body in sect-ion on line 77 of Figure 4, but with the parts differently arranged;

Figure 8 is a plan in section upon the line 88 of Figure 4;

Figure 9 is an elevation in section upon the line 9-9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows, but with the interior arranged for sleeping; and

Figure 10 is a front elevation of a detail.

The automobile of-the present invention may be in outward appearance like a high grade passenger car with limousine body, being made with standard spread and length of wheel base, for example, inches for the latter. It comprises a body having a floor 2, front and rear walls 4: and 6 respectively, side walls 8 and 10, a top 12, and vith the usual or any desired entrance doors 7, and any desired windows 9. The rear and side walls slope inward'at 14, as is custernary, towards the floor, and there are the common appurtenances such as the steering wheel 16 and the gasoline tank 18.

The closed body is interiorly divided into two chief compartments 20 and'22 at the front and the rear respectively, separated by partitions 24. The front'c'ompartment may be used for touring, sitting, driving and sleeping; and the rear compartment may serve as lavatory, dressing room, pantry and kitchen.

In the rear compartment, a water tank 26 is situated at the lower part of the rear wall near the side wall 10. In order to economize space the tanks wall 28 is shaped to conform to the sloping portion of the rear wall 6 and its wall 30 opposite th-erc to rises vertically from substantially the line 32 of juncture between the rear wall'and the floor. The tank may be built into the rear wall, as shownQif desired, so that the two may constitute a unit. By this construction, a water tank is provided-upon the car without substantially decreasing the floor space. A sink 3% is situated over the tank and is supplied from the tank by a hand pump 36. A water closet 38 is built apon the lower sloping portion of the rear wall at-the otlie'r' side of the car between thetank and the ot'her side" wall 8. The Water 'clOsc-t' occupies as little floor space asthe tank, and is separated from the part cei'npa'rtment v'vl'iere the sink is"; by partitienl' "The rc los'et is flushed by water 'froin the'sinlt whose drain 34:" opens into it and discharges through it, th'ere bej sired: a pull chain 34;" otord'inary type'rer opening tl'ieplug of the drain 3a. It may have a soil pipe -59, with pain 39.. op-

ever -lin'k39" and handle 39. maintained normallyclosed by spring 39"" its-shown in Figure 9, or may be otherwise eq p d 'c-e boX ttll built upon the first mentioned'si'de @1110, at the other side 01 the car and in the kitchen part elf the coinpartment, its rear wall conforming to the sloping side wall, as the tank conforms to thesloping rear wall. A shelf 42 above the "ice b'ox'fand' a second shelf 13 above the shelf" 42 afi'ord pantrystorage and work space and may support an acetylene cools ing range or the like. The remainder of the sp'a'ce',tr'om the'ice box, shelves, and side wall 10 to'the otherside 8 of the car, which will usually be open, and tree from obstruction, communicates through .a passage o'r'doorway 44, between partitions 2a, with the "from compartment. A combined door and swinging 'pa'rtition 46, hinged at 48, norrally occupies the position illustrated in Figure 8, where it encloses the water closet asm'all space separate tromthe remainder of the compartment; but this partition may be .swung over' the dash line area of Fleur-e 8 a11' cl"] 3aistthe doorway 44 back against the sink ai'idinay then be swung back into the dot-and-dash line positioneO, thus enlarging "the water closet compartment, permitting the entrance of a person, and then closing;- theenlarged compartment designated 52. Theiront compartment 2() is provided fwith tour chairs 54, 56, 58 and arranged one front and one back on each side ot the car bo-dy, butforming between them the longitudinal passageway 45 as well as the customarytransverse'space 62. The chairs comprise'bases 64, cushion seats 66 resting thereon a 'id cushion'backs 68an'd 70. The backs of thefr'ear chairs 54 and 58"may be i're'inoved" and with the seat cushions thereof used remake a'berth bridging the space to the forward chairs 56" and 60 respectively,

Figure 9, with the aid of slats 67 when it i is desired to convert the chairs into berths. The backs 68 of the forward chairs 56 and 60 are connected by links 7 2 to the bases of these chairs in such fashion as to permit of each chair back swinging beyond and below the forward edge of the seat, as shown in Figure 9, to constitute a head or foot board between it and the dashboard of the car, when used for a berth, or swingback'to stops ("not shown) which "-limi't "*its' ba'ckwardswine when used as a chair back.

7 Two upper berths are shown at 74 and 7' 6 Figure 8, connected-at onejside' by links {'8 to the jsidewvall's of the vehicle and-Sus pended tit-the other side SG-hnin the front and rear walls of"thecempartinentl WVlien berths are 'not' wantedit-helinks 78- rest-diormallyupward" hemhampers-ts '82 o r-pivotal support and so 7 maintain "the frames of thebe'rtli's 7r and 76'elo1se to thetop'. They are adapted, however, to; be s ung dowm ward as to hang fromthepoin'ts 82 as illustrated, but this is not necessary. Flexible \mt'erf 'n'oot material 92 safeguards the interior of the vehicle against the elements when the top is raised,preferably-made with accordion plaiting. A window 94; in the top, that normally closed by a cover 96, 7

provides for ventilation. censuses atford a degree of privacy when hung 'along the middle ot the car, between theiberths.

id hen the top is raised,- it n'iayrest on the toggle joints and such other or stiffening support as is provided, which may depend on the degree ot stiffnessdesiredl When down, an exterior depending fl'ange encases "the colla Jsed accordion alaitin and ton of body t 'ame; and makes the top secure on the still star'idii'ip; frame oi' the car body. Said frame should be designed with strength to carry this top when up, and the upper berths with contents. But it 1 will be observed th'at it is not necessary forthetop to hold up the up )er berths, as they can. normally be supported in the side andffront and rear frame walls of the compartment. The upper berths may, however, be secured to the top for a special purpose, to wit, at fiastenings to hold their inner edges upand to give headroom when the compartment is used for dining or games, with the top raised, as shown in Figure 7. A folding table 102, that is ordinarily housed in a recess 104 provided in the floor in the trans.

verse space 62, may be lifted out and its legs set in the recess, as illustrated in the same figure. The table is constituted of a main board 102 to the sides of which at 106 are pivoted wings 108 each half as wide as the main board and adapted to fold over on the face of the main board, as shown in Figure 5, the backs of these leaves con ti-- tute the floor, at this place. The legs of the table are pivoted to the under side of the main board, one pair at each end and lying air pump commonly provided on an automobile for the moving of water from the tank to the sink by air pressure in place of the hand pump illustrated. And the drawings are diagramn'iatic in other respects, a for example the representation of thic ess of roof and walls. These may be made according to standard or suitable practice, the roof being of a single thicknes of flexible fabric, although with its frame the inclusive thickness would approximate that il lustrated in the drawings. .The links 78, supporting the wall edges of the upper berths may conveniently have a length of 5 inches between centers thus making a drop of 10 inches when they are swung down. If the top rises 16 inches there is thus provided a spaceof over 2 feet for occupancy. if the head room provided whenthe car is arranged for sitting and touring be the ordinary dimensions of 4 feet l inches, the room provided for standing amounts to 5 feet 8 inches. If the vehicle body have the ordinary standard width of 5 feet 5 inches, it is feasible by the arrangements therein set forth to have sitting space 22 inches wide for each seat, and an aisle 16 inches wide in its lower part and 18 inches in its upper part between the partitions 2d; and upper and lower berths about 22 inches wide. And, in a car having the standard wheel base of 136 inches, the berths may be 6 feet long within the front compartment; and the rear compartment may have the general dimensions of 2 X 5 feet.

Mostof the figures of the drawing, for the sake of clearness, illustrate the car body as it may be arranged with only two rear seats thus making a four pasenger vehicle for which the equipment for camping is complete; but Figures 3 and 4 illustrate how a live passenger car may be provided for riding purposes, by adding a third rear seat. By the'provision of a shallow recess in the floor whose bottom 110 is seen in Figure 4a (or even by merely cutting through the floor withoutthe bottom 110) hinged supporters 112 may be provided which normally are partof the floor, (Figure 8) but are capable of swinging up so that they stand up .on'end to the level of the bases 64 of the rear seats. These may support a board 1153 holdingseat cushions 114 which fill the aisle. At other times the board 113 may be carried in the rear compartment, or may constitute a movable shelf therein; and the cushions may be set vertically at the sides of the rear seats, each being of half the thickness of the regu lar seat cushions. They are illustrated thus in place in Figure 8. They are of suitable width (ieight) and length (depth) to fill the space between the rear seat cushions 5d and 58. The back cushions 7 0 may be ad justed for th' purpose by tipping them so that they rest on their sides, and by making their dimensions such that the two long sides together reach across the car, thus constituting the rear seat capable of holding three pasrengers as indicated in Figure 3.

I claim as my invention 2- l. The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle body having a floor and a sloping rear wall; a water tank having a rear wall shaped in conformity with the sloping rear wall, and a front wall oppositely disposed thereto which rises vertically from approximately the line of juncture of the rear wall and the floor; a sink; and means communicating with the tank, to raise water therefrom to the sink.

2. The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle body having a. floor and a sloping rearwall; a water tank having a rear wall shaped in conformity with the sloping rear wall, and a front wall oppositely disposed thereto which rises vertically from approximately the line of juncture of the rear wall and the floor; a sink in the rear of the car body; means communicating with the tank for raising water from the tank to the sink; a water closet over another portion of the sloping rear wall; and connections whereby the sink constitutes a flushing tank for the interior surface of the closet.

3. The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle having accommodations for travelling and living of persons therein, comprising four wheels and a body supported thereon; said body having a floor, rear and sidewalls, and seats, the whole arranged and adapted for the body to carry seated passengers; a water tank, a sink, a. refrigen ator and a shelf arranged aroundsaid walls within the body a top secured on the walls at a height adapted to cover seated passenwalls.

gers anchtoo lowfor 'adultpassengers "to stand under it;i means whereby the top is liftable; and means to -inaintain the: top of the car lifted, thereby to give'head room above the floor forstanding passengers -the said bodyywith its said floor, walls and top being in all oi theirv positions supported Wholly on the said wheels. 5

4. Thecombinations-in an automobile, of a "vehicle body, a partition, interionly "divid ing itinto front and rear compartments; longitudinal passage through the middle of the-front compartment; a Water tankga sink, anda-shelfin the rear compartinentv on one side-thereof; a swinging partition, hinged: in: the middle; portion: of the; near Wall, reaching substantially the firstenen tioned; partition, thereby dividingthe rear compartment and: swinging in both adirec tions-t-he'refrom into" substantial parallelism Withvthe'r-earnvall, thereby in oneposit ion makinga door for-the d-i sion {ft-e01" L ment, and. iir'the oth r suosuintially' oli'minailing the division ofthe connia'rtinent; andineans to hold the top Of the compartinent lifted above normal riding position.-

5. The combination, in an automobile,'ot a vehicle having accoinnioda ons for travelling and living otpers'ons therein, comprising a body havingpermanently standing walls,- and seats, the whole arranged and adapted for the body to carry seated passen gers; a -to-p normally restingon said 'walls and secured thereon at heightadapted to cover s'eatedpassengers and too low'tor adult passengers to stand under it, and adapted to be raised above timing-means to maintain the top in its raised position, thereby providing head room-for a person stand ing; and extensible'means permanently closing the space between the body top and top of the Walls. I 6. The combination, inan automobile, of a vehicle bodyhaving:permanently standing walls andseats, the-whole arranged and adapted for the'b'ody to carry seated passengers; a. topsupported on and resting at the top of said Walls and securedthereon at a heightndapted to cover seated passengers andtoo' low for adult passengers to stand under it, and adapted to-be,raisedabove their top, thereby providingraead room for a person standing; Within the body; means to maintain the'top in its raisedposr on; .1. and a. flGI1lJlG"GXiLGIlSll)lG section-o1 wail adaptedto close thespace bet'WeentOIrand V 7. The'combination, in an-a'utomobile, of

a vehicle body having s'tandiiig wallsand a top that is permanently connected with the walls by a connection adapted to be extended vertically, whereby the top is'raised above the Walls; a berth supported within atthe side of the'body parallel to the top and'close thereto when the top is down; and means for supporting the-berth at alower level,

thereby when the=t0p is raised providing room for occupancy. Y

at the "side of the body, parallel to the top and close-thereto: when the top is. down-p, the whole arranged for the innenzedge of the berth to be sn' un 4 upward about the .wall edger supported closeunder thelevel: of the {top when thetop is in raisedv position.

9. .Thecombination in 1 automobilei of a vehicle body having --perina-nently standing walls a top supported on: said wallsat their 'tiopand adapt'edto be raised above thelntop,

th reby providing, additional: interiorl 'ihead 'ing it to the side wall, said links supporting the edge of the berth which is next to the wall and be adapted to stand upward, thereby hold. 1. the berth up close to the-top, to stand downward, thereby holding the berth in a. lowered position -tor occupancy; an aisle between the berths and Ineansto support the other edge of each berth in corresponding upper and lower positions.

10, The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle body having permanently standing walls; includingej'front wall, and aparti- .t-ion extending transversely in therearportion, mahinga front and a rear compartment; atopsupported on SfUCl Walls at their top and adapted to be raised above theirtop,

thereb providing room tor person to stand within thebody; entrance door i'lllOllgllthe side wall in the front compartn1ent;- seats arranged in the front-compartment, at front and rear andron both sides, with spacesbetween extending longitudinally and transversely, the front and rear seats on the same side being convertible to form a lower -berth;-and an upper berth, supported on thetront and side walls'and on said partition. and adapted to bomoved be tween a position close to the top when the top is down and a lower position for occupancy when the top is raised.

11. The combination, in an automobile, of a 'vehicle having accommodations for travelling and living; t persons therein, comprising; a body having: permanently standinn; wallsand scatsfthe' whole arranged and adapted for the bodyto carry seated-passein' gers, a top supporteden Mid we c their top at a. height adapted to cover seated passengers and too; low-for adult passengers to stand underihwhich body top' is adapted in e' be'rth at-each side. and-links attachto be raised above their top, thereby providing room For a person to stand within the body; a-flexible extension of the standing walls and toggle joints, connecting the top and the top portion of said walls permanently and adapted to maintain the top in its raised position with the top and walls tight.

12. The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle having accommodations for travelling and living of persons therein, comprising four wheels and a body supported thereon, said body having seats and permanently standing walls and seats. the whole arranged and adapted for the body to carry seated passengers; a body top' supported at the top of said walls at an eleva-' tion giving head room for persons sitting but not for persons standing, and adapted to be raised from their top; extensible means permanently associated with the body-top closing the space between it and the wallstop; and means to maintain the body top in its raised position thereby providing room for a person to stand within the body.

13. The combination, in an automobile, of a vehicle body having accommodations convertible for traveling and for living in the body, comprising seats next to the sides of the body with an aisle between, with bottom and back cushions for the seats; folding supports in the floor adapted to rise and constitute seat supports in the aisle between said seats; cushions adapted to be set upright on the side wall of the body, between said seats and the wall, of half thickness and adapted to be combined to form a cushion on said aisle seat supports; the said back cushions being adapted to stand on their end edges to constitute backs for two seats or on their side edges to constitute backs for said side seats and said aisle seat.

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this twelfth day of May, 1920.

CLINTON J. WARREN. 

